PROSE WRITERS OF THE SAME PERIOD

L. Cornel i us Sisenna (praetor B.C. 78), author of Historiae of the Social and Civil Wars (Vell. Pat. ii. 9). Cicero thought him superior to his predece ors, but childish ( Brut. 228, De Leg. i. 7), and Sallust remarks his want of frankne in speaking of Sulla’s career ( Iug. 95). He avoided a piecemeal and desultory treatment of events; cf. his own words quoted by Gell. xii. 15, 2, ‘Nos una a estate in Asia et Graecia gest a litter is idcirco continent i a mandavimus, ne vellicatim aut saltuatim scribendo lectorum animos imped i rem us.’ His translation of the Μιλησιακά of Aristides is mentioned by Ovid, Tr. ii. 443. Contemporary with Sisenna were Q. Claudius Quadrigarius , and Valerius Antias , whose narrative was coloured by partiality for the Valerii and for Scipio African us ( see under ‘Livy’ ). C. Licinius Macer , father of the poet Calvus, was one of Livy’s sources for the early history. Dion. Hal. (vi. 11 and vii. 1) complains of his carele ne and the weakne of his chronology. He claimed that he used original authorities, e.g. the libri lintei , lists of magistrates written on linen. He was a strong democrat, and is looked upon by Mommsen ( R.H. iv., p. 602) as manufacturing authorities in support of his political views. Sulla wrote memoirs of his own life (Plut. Lucull. 1), and Lucullus composed in Greek a history of the Marsian War ( ibid. ). cHAPTER II tHE CICERONI AN AGE.